Putin Cool on Snowden Asylum Bid

Putin Says NSA Leaker Must First Stop 'Harming' the U.S.

By

Gregory L. White and

Alexander Kolyandr

Updated July 1, 2013 4:19 pm ET

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday that Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency staffer who has sought political asylum in Russia amid espionage allegations, is welcome in the country only if he stops his disclosure of alleged abuses by U.S. intelligence agencies.

But Mr. Putin reiterated that Moscow won't accede to U.S. requests to hand over Mr. Snowden, who faces charges of espionage for revealing details of alleged electronic eavesdropping by U.S. intelligence agencies world-wide.

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